Since lot of dicussion on sv 171, here is the
loading at 07.50am from Yishun Interchange
Yishun Interchange -- 44
Yishun Ave 5 -- 50 (0/6), 55 (-5/10)
Sembawang Rd -- 54 (-9/8)
I got a call.. so could not do the loading calculation from
here on but here are observations.
** Bus had around 55-60 pax all through to BPJ
** Lot of people boarded 171 along Pending/Petir road... the bus
seemed packed to door before hitting Upper Bukit Timah road (don't
know exact count but I am sure it had 65+ pax for sure)
** Never thought 171 was one of those services with such high
loading. If you see from Sembawang road to BPJ, it takes quite some
time and people go standing all the way
** So add 171 as another poorly managed service that was
deprived high capacity buses even though its route justifies it.
Imagine the number of people who would not take it because they
don't know if they will get a place in the bus and have to go
standing so long (we are not talking of a service where people
board/alight every stop creating space for people to find seats
along the route). This is a service like 161/168 where if no DD,
people have to stand for long time.
So we see the Yishun - Bt Panjang, Yishun - Bt Timah and Bt
Panjang - Bt Timah demands all crowding into 171 because there are
no better alternatives?
One possible solution would be to divert 700 via Eng Neo Ave /
Dunearn Rd to alleviate the load, seeing there's alternatives
190/972 to Whitley / Orchard.
But things would definitely change after DTL2 opens. By then it
may be suitable to cut the service after Botanic Gardens. It has
many buses to back the remainder of its route up along Dunearn
Rd.
In short, wait after DTL2 opens, then we could do some
re-evaluation.